Canon EOS 77D Review

Introduction

The Canon EOS 77D (9000D in Japan) is a lightweight 24MP APS-C DSLR that offers impressive Dual Pixel Autofocus, good external controls and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. It slots between the Rebel T7i and EOS 80D, and can be thought of as the successor to the Rebel T6s; if the name doesn't make that obvious, the specifications and feature additions over its lower-end Rebel sibling should.

Key specifications

24MP sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus

45-point all-cross-type phase-detect autofocus system

Digic 7 processor

3" fully-articulating touchscreen LCD

Top plate LCD for shooting information

Dual control dials

6fps continuous shooting

1080/60p video capture with microphone input

So is the EOS 77D more than a fancy Rebel in disguise? Well, not really. The only meaningful differentiators between this model and the Rebel T7i it was announced alongside are the dual control dials, top plate LCD and the addition of an AF ON button. Less meaningful differentiators include an extra eight grams of heft and some general button shuffling. And that's it. In other words, the same relationship was shared by the Rebel T6s and T6i.

All that said, we have to concede the name '77D' sounds a lot more serious than either the well-worn Rebel or XX0D monikers, and after all, this is a fairly well-rounded camera. It borrows an awful lot from its up-market EOS 80D cousin, and yet, comes in at a pretty steep discount. Let's see how they compare in detail.

Among the many things the EOS 77D inherits from the 80D is its 24MP sensor, which is a huge improvement over the sensors in previous 's' Rebels.Processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. ISO 100 | 1/640 sec | F8Photo by Carey Rose

Spec comparison

Rebel T7i/800D

EOS 77D

EOS 80D

MSRP (body only)

$749

$899

$1199

Sensor

24.2MP APS-C CMOS

Processor

Digic 7

Digic 6

ISO range

ISO 100-25600 (expands to 51200)

ISO 100-12800(expands to 25600)

AF system

Dual Pixel + 45-pt all-cross-type

Shutter speed

30 - 1/4000 sec

30 - 1/8000 sec

X-sync

1/200 sec

1/250 sec

LCD size/type

3" fully-articulating touchscreen (1.04M-dot)

Viewfinder mag/coverage

0.82x / 95%

0.95x / 100%('Intelligent')

Control dials

One

Two

AF ON button

No

Yes

Top plate LCD

No

Yes

Max Continuous

6 fps

7 fps

Video

1920 x 1080 @ 60p/30p/24p

Headphone jack

No

Yes

Bluetooth

Yes

No

Battery life (CIPA)

600 shots

960 shots

Battery grip

No

Optional

Weather-sealing

No

Yes

Dimensions

131 x 100 x 76mm

131 x 100 x 76mm

139 x 105 x 79mm

Weight (CIPA)

532 g

540 g

730 g

The EOS 77D then will broadly appeal to the same sort of consumer as the T6s/760D; namely, the photographer with enough experience to want a more hands-on approach and who must have an optical viewfinder of some sort. All of the not-insignificant advancements in the EOS 77D and the Rebel T7i make them compelling upgrade choices for users of previous Rebel (and even some X0D) cameras.

If you can forego an optical viewfinder, one could easily make an argument for the Fujifilm X-T20 or Sony's a6300, both of which offer 4K video and much faster burst shooting in smaller packages (though the a6300 lacks the level of direct control the 77D offers), and there's also the new Canon EOS M6, which shares an awful lot with the 77D under its skin.

But with the addition of Dual Pixel AF, Live View shooting on the EOS 77D is arguably just as robust (if not more so, in some situations) than either the Fujifilm or Sony mirrorless options. And that gets to the heart of what really makes the EOS 77D so appealing; it may not offer the best of both the DSLR and mirrorless worlds, but it does offer a compelling balance at this price point.

So does the EOS 77D have what it takes to be your next camera? Let's find out.

Huh? If you've got two possible options and one is better in the category being discussed, you can certainly say one is a leader. Besides, Sony and Canon aren't the only two sensor makers around - Samsung and Toshiba both make sensors and have the equipment to make APS-C at the very least.

Even if we assume your pedantry about what does or doesn't constitute a "leader" made sense, your issue is Carey Rose/DPR for talking about the "market leaders in terms of dynamic range."

Safari nightmareDay one everything fineAfternoon day two apart from fully auto all other programs massively overexposed and no amount of compensation would bring it backDay three exposure correct but again apart from auto cannot change shutter speed past 200 making it difficult to use and impossible on moving objects also continuous shooting not working apart from autoDay four all the above problems on the occasional shot the continuous shooting would work but for one or two pictures and then revert to not working, afternoon of day four focus points stopped working and could not change from single focal point even in auto.Day five again all of the above except now able to change the focus points A professional photographer was at the camp who has been a cannon user for as long as he can remember and was unable to help with the problem or even begin to come up with a solution

i am having problems with my new Canon 77D where by some pictures have a pink/green aura around the subject. I am shooting on AF mostly but it happens on MF as well and it also doesnt happen ever picture. Also doesnt matter its it person or a landscape. Anyone ever have this happen. Its very strange.

I've found the same thing happening with my new SL2. But, when I asked this, I noted that I always photograph in RAW, and that the pink/green appeared in two places -- in about 1 out of 20 photographs when reviewing in camera; and for a split second when the pictures are being imported into Lightroom -- when I click on the picture, the pink/green appear for an instant, then disappear completely. It's VERY weird. I've never seen anything like it.

I use a 85mm 1.8 Canon lens that is known for a strong chromatic aberration on the strong highlights. I suspect it is your lens, rather than the camera. As for the Lightroom issue, some lenses have a correction profile already loaded, so when it loads the photo you see the RAW, and then the correction profile gets applied.

there's a rear control wheel, which makes navigating through the menus a bit faster, the eye sensor switches off the display when you look through the viewfinder (helpful when shooting in low light conditions because minimises reflections from the screen), there's an AF On button, the back layout is a bit different, and I think the 800D doesn't have a bulb timer.

It does not seem to support GPS image tagging through the phone. It explicitly excludes the 77D (and others) wrt this feature. (Note the new SL2 does have support for this. My theory is that the dedicated Canon GPS is intended to be used with the 77D. There is a small chance it is complicated to support both systems, but more likely just a marketing choice (and a frustrating one). Or it just doesn't work so well... any ideas?

bluetooth geotagging via Camera Connect App seems to be a new feature starting with Rebel SL2; evidently it's just a software thing but very unlikely Canon would update t7i/77D firmware for that feature alone?

Hi guys.. If it hasn't been mentioned already, the exposure for the 77D and t7i test shots are darker than other cameras starting at ISO100 and up. After a look at other recent camera reviews it appears you might have a lighting issue in the studio. Newer cameras seem to be capturing a darker test scene than previous models.

If I ever move to Canon and need this as a backup, then this camera saves me the expense and trouble of having to buy a Sharpie or Magic Marker in order to black-out the irritating "Rebel" name on the front - a definite plus.

I am looking at purchasing my first DSLR and looking at the 77D. (I am from South Africa and the price between the 800D and the 77D is not much hence thinking of going with the 77D as I believe it seems to sit at the top end of canons beginner range and at the bottom of the enthusiast range)

Would you suggest I buy the 18-55mm STM kit lens or the 18-135mm USM kit lens? (and why?) I would initially keep the kit lens for quite a long time. I will be shooting everything, for the most part, portrait, landscape wildlife etc.

Is the extra price of the 18-135mm worth it or should I get the 18-55mm and purchase a dedicated telephoto lens in the future?

My two cents worth - the 77D will give you significantly more on the "up" side, while still leading you nice and easy into the world of DSLR. I believe you are right in your evaluation of where it sits in the Canon market.

If you are shooting "everything" I believe you will be much happier with the 18-135, it will give you more reach at the longer end without having to change lenses. And the USM line in general tends to be crisper and sharper, good value for the extra money.

If you are going to shoot "continuous", the faster the card the more you will enable full use of the burst rate of the camera, so something like the SanDisk Extreme PRO line, 32 or 64 GB cards, even though expensive. Video too. If you are shooting single shot and removing the images to a computer or uploading, then it doesn't really matter, so you can go with any reputable brand. SanDisk, Sony, Transcend... Stay away from "micro" cards with adapter.

both of these lenses are for "everything" more or less, so you pictures will look like "everything else". I would buy the 50mm 1.8 as the second lens. While on the topic, I would also buy a used 700D and some used used L-class or even a used 5Dii FF. Is a much better investment. Arguably a 600D with LGlass will get you better results than a a77D with the kit 18-55mm

Why does name their cameras differently, depending on the market? Rebel Ti123abc here, EOS XX0 and X000 there. Now EOS 77D and 9000D. Do they face some local naming problems, like a popular car being called 77D in Japan or so? I don't know any other camera manufacturer that does the same.

Is is about segmenting market and warranty. Discussed many times here...So you can not sold 9000D outside of Japan and 77D outside of north America and Other one from Europe...only reason.In US and Canada manufacturers sell same lets say washer and dryer under different name, so they can not undercut profit from each other if someone want to do price match of advertised sales price.Same reason you can not purchase some product from Amazon.com you have to go through Amazon.ca and pay higher cost (higher price and taxes). Globalization works only for big companies while we little people pay the price in labor cost, taxes and higher prices.

I use both Canon and Sony. You will be able to travel lighter with Sony due to the smaller lenses, but Canon will cost less. You can find a lot of good used Canon lenses. The problem with Sony's e-mount are the lack of lenses. They have a premium price, but only yield average results... I know a lot of Sony users will be up in arms with me by saying this, but we Sony users need to be honest. Now the Sony FE-mounts are a different story, but the price jumps even more.The Canon will allow you to do selfies vs. Sony screen only tilts. I think that the image quality will be about the same. DR will be better with the Sony. You need multiple batteries with the Sony. You need to purchase extra batteries and chargers (doesn't come with external chargers) with the Sony.

I personally travel with my Sony system for the size factor. Just a few points for you. The decision is yours my friend.

The question is about the Canon 77D and a6300. Image quality when you print them will be about the same. I think it's a form factor more than image quality factor. I think it comes down to the size of the system vs the price of the system.

Sony makes sensors for Nikon, iPhone, Samsung, Pixel etc. It is what they do best. The sensor in the 6300 is from the new generation and is fantastic. It rivals the a7 and a7ii FF sensors. The a77D is a lesser version of the 80D while the a6300 is Sony's best APSC non stabilised sensor.

There are no 3rd party autofocus lenses to take place in the Sony fast zoom lenses. This is what I am talking about value. You can get even cheap used L lenses for Canon as well, too.

If you actually print out large prints such as 17"X22", you will not be able to tell the difference of the two sensor. I can even print out that size prints out of my Panasonic LX100 which only has 12.8MP 4/3" sensor with my Epson P800 printer.

Canons Wifi Still Sucks! Try to connect and the camera just sits there until it times out. Why is it that the smallest companies in the world could make this work almost a decade ago, but Canon STILL SUCKS

My 77d WIFI works great... Bluetooth on the other hand I can't figure out. It shows connected, but won't let the phone do anything. If I try and use it as a shutter remote or anything it says connect wifi.. once I do that I can dl pictures or use my iPhone or iPad for remote live view and control

A couple months ago i started researching my first DSLR, i was told about this site and then told to avoid it. Especially the comments section, I understand why. People on here are as bad as the Android vs iOS people.

Btw ive been enjoying my 77d since I got it. Fits me perfect, I dont care about 4k video, as i have a 4k video camera im happy with. Though i dont shoot video anyway. i have literally 3 videos in my phone that ive taken since i got it, Im just not a video guy. I have access to 10-12 "L" lenses from my friend. I got a ok discount when i bought it. For me it checked every box i needed.

Borrow the a6000 and try it. The a 77D is a great camera, but in 2017 every camera is great, even the smartphone cameras. I am not sure great camera is enough. You are right in one thing, we don't need to stick to one brand, look around and get what is best for you with an open mind. One thing, expect a little more than "great", look at where the company is going and what they are trying to do. Fuji Xt, Panasonic, Olympus, Sony all have great products these days

If Canon adds MFA and bigger VF, I can live with the size of rebel compared to mirrorless cameras. Looking for alternatives to 70d which is big for travelling. M5 with adapters vs Rebel, I can live with Rebel.

Just give me the choice of Manual,or Av,Tv,full(+-flash), and control of ISO (25-1200), and drive rate, and I could be happy shooter. It would be nice to see the actual focused distance in the exfil info. I currently use a 70D so...The 77D sounds good but has too many unused features. ?! Oh yes, I am still dreaming of a 300-600mm f/2.8 lens !? Happy Walkabout Shooting to one and all.

My Pentax K-3II, purchased new for less than $800, has all of the missing features that folks are bitching about here, except fancy video modes (which Pentax believes is the job of Video Cameras). Plus physical build quality second to none.If you want to take pictures, with excellent color reproduction, there are choices beyond Canikon. And it has all of the buttons anyone could ask for, and the easy-of-use that goes with that.

I've never had an issue with acquiring focus with all sorts of subjects (I have a yard full of hummingbirds, for example). I will concede that there are better cameras for those who set continuous shutter and focus, and operate in machine-gun mode. But I've never found much satisfaction in dissecting "movies" in search of usable photographs, which seems to be all the rage.Pentax owners see these reviews where it is clear that people want more for their money...so we remind that there is a viable option. I bought a K-3II knowing there were a few downsides, but none of these were significant in actual use, so I only ask people to broaden their gear horizons. You will be pleasantly surprised.

I have Pentax K-3, K-1 and recently picked up a Nikon D5600. Features and build-wise, I would agree with you. However, the Nikon (and probably Canons like this) is hugely better at AF-C tracking things like birds in flight (AF-S seems comparable to me). Whether that's a Pentax deal-breaker depends on what kind of shooting you mainly do.

This is the anti-Pentax mantra (poor focus tracking) but I haven't found it to be a major issue. I live less than a mile from a huge bird sanctuary where the issue isn't focussing, but rather getting close enough in a facility that forbids any sort of photographer blinds. And there are techniques that increase the odds of getting good shots that may not being used by all. I am not arguing that a K-3II will hang with the focussing of a D500, because it won't. But because I also take pictures of things that haven't moved in hundreds or thousands of years, focus tracking is not at the top of my list, rather it's build quality, reliability, features, and usability.

Hi,This camera has been noted as having 2 control dials, but one of them requires (what appears to be, I haven't used it) a large hand readjustment to reach. Why is this considered a pro when other cameras e.g. Sony 6x00 series are criticized for it? Not hating just trying to understand.Thanks

No worries - on the a6x00 series, they actually only have a dial under your right thumb when in standard shooting position, and then another when you move that thumb lower. This Canon has one under your index finger, and then the other dial is in a lower position. Same number of dials, of course, but you can become accustomed to keeping your index finger and thumb in the proper position for quick settings adjustments. Hope this helps!

Looking at the studio test scene, the colour of the high ISO noise is horrid.

I've been shooting with Canon equipment for years and have always disliked the colour of its high ISO noise. I recently got myself a second hand Fuji X-E1 so I can adapt old lenses, and I was so surprised at how nice the high ISO images looked, the first thing I noticed was no red splotches! Yes!

A 1.5x crop factor means a little bigger sensor than current ones. As lens quality drops from center to edges/corners (true for sharpness, CA, distortion, fall-off, etc...) this could be an issue with current EF-S lens with an image circle tightly "optimized" for current sensor size... So the move has to be done with great care, IMHO.

Just like the 80D review, I'm left thinking: forget it - better wait for a 90D or 6D MkII. As for the reviewer's comment "The EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM... but our copy suffered from overall softness throughout the zoom range" - too true! I have the original 18-135mm, and it's always been disappointing when pixel peeping. Even the much cheaper and very plasticky 55-250mm is much sharper and more contrasty, allowing me to forgive its crap build quality - it's the glass that matters after all. What a shame Canon didn't improve the 18-135 optics at the same time as the AF.

Canon I still think is protecting their Cinema line of cameras so you don't get much in the DSLR ones. 4K missing is just proof of that. Though Nikon and rich 4K support is lacking too. So Sony, or Panasonic seem to be the ones.

Part of the reason why canon is a market leader is because they give consumers solid products. All of this waffle on tech sites about a lack of innovation, no 4k, no mirror less on consumer cameras released by canon and Nikon is misplaced rationale. Take a high tech industry such as commercial aviation. The airliners we fly in today still use the same powerplant technology they have had for over 65 years: Jet engines. In the 1950's the De Havilland Comet, Douglas DC-8 and Boeing 707 were cutting edge. In 2017 the Airbuses and Boeings use the same basic technology.

Maybe, but it is what they want. 4K is the buzz, and frankly, 1080p while still great is not the top heavy hitter anymore. Many want to shoot in 4K and if needed down rez to 1080p. That rationale maybe misplaced, but that is what people want. If Canon, and Nikon won't give it too them. Sony, Panasonic, Olympus will be happy too. Choice is a wonderful thing.

I really hope that the new Canon EOS 7D mark III will have:- 4K 60p video- GPS location data in the photos- Flash X sync speed much faster than 1/200 sec- Fast focus like in 77D or faster- Slightly larger dynamic range than in 77D.

I am ready to pay 2000 USD for the such body, because I have quite a large Canon system. I hope that Canon do not ponder too long these topics, because it may happen that I will change the whole system to Panasonic or Sony.

By the way, I really do not need the primitive and noisy mechanical shutter and mirror.

Hello flip 21,Yes I agree - with Canon I may have to wait for 2040, but the new Sony Alpha a9 I will get within few months and Panasonic GH5 now.However, I will wait for Canon EOS 7D mark III, maybe 6 months and then I will decide what to do.

There is no mirrorless with cross type phase detect sensors. They all can have focus issues when the contrast corners run in the "wrong" direction or the contrast is low. Outdated!

However I agree that any DSLR should have AF microadjustment and to go one step further they should have an (half) automated one like the latest Nikons have.

I guess it might not be the best idea to run this camera with 1.2L optics. However it may just work with your lenses and it will work fine with live view. Guess if you can afford 1.2L lenses you will move up the camera body food chain a bit.

Thank you so much for an excellent review. I can relate to the time and effort behind it. I find these two statements particularly insightful:

> . . . with the addition of Dual Pixel AF, Live View shooting on the EOS 77D is arguably just as robust (if not more so, in some situations) than either the Fujifilm or Sony mirrorless options. And that gets to the heart of what really makes the EOS 77D so appealing; it may not offer the best of both the DSLR and mirrorless worlds, but it does offer a compelling balance at this price point.

> In truth, the EOS 77D stands alone. There just isn't another option in the marketplace at this price that offers a decent optical viewfinder, a polished Live View experience and this level of control.

@DPR,So, a second control dial, an AF ON button and top LCD cost $150... Not cheap.Apart from helping Canon to make some profits, what is the benefit for the user ?Does the top LCD allow to use the camera without turning on the rear LCD ? In other words, with the help of the informations in the viewfinder and the top LCD, and apart from the usual Speed, Aperture, ISO, EV compensation settings, can the user change settings like :- Drive Mode- White Balance- Auto Lighting Optimizer- Highlight Tone Priority- Picture Mode?

"Does the top LCD allow to use the camera without turning on the rear LCD ?"

It will show your relevant shooting information like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering mode, AF mode, etc. And it is always visible, except in the dark, when it can be back lit with the press of a button.

Yea you can. In Canon DSLRs, either those with top LCDs or not actually (because Canon treats the OVF information as a Top LCD), in the Cust. Func. C8 Menus, you have an option under the LCD tab to deactivate the rear LCD until you press Disp. button. If you choose that option you can change settings using the dials and buttons having the top LCD or OVF info as reference. Rear LCD is practically dead, unless you wake it using the dedicated Disp. Button.

However I find it a much better shooting experience to have that option set to Half Shutter. It only deactivates the rear LCD instantly when you press to shoot otherwise I have the LCD Q menu always in front of me.

If you set brightness to 0 the battery difference is nothing I could actually see, it draws little to no power really vs deactivating for Disp. Button. Full brightness and Image review ON & set to Hold with frequent Live View usage is however, as power hungry as a 2006 American 6.1 Liter V8 engine.

@Ebrahim Saadawi,I have downloaded the EOS 77D manual. Neither the viewfinder nor the top LCD displays the current Drive Mode and White Balance settings, So there is no easy way to change these settings without turning the rear LCD on.

*sigh* For the settings it DOES display, and that have external controls through the dials or buttons or combinations thereof, yes, it offers a quick and easy way to check and - since they change as you change the settings - change them. Obviously, if it doesn't display the setting, it won't help you. I would have thought that was obvious.

@Deliverator,It was not obvious before I download and read the manual (I am a bit lazy sometimes, you know, not you ? ;-)), because I did not know before what the top LCD displays...I regret the monochrome LCD of my retired EOS 350D. Sure, it was not on top, but at least it was there and more loquacious. Although it does not allow to change Drive Mode and White Balance without turning the color LCD on...stupidely.

@Deliverator...cont'd,So your assumption that, if the top LCD displays settings and there are direct buttons to change them, you can change them without the need of the color LCD is wrong sometimes, and thus not so OBVIOUS. I thought you know Canon cameras better than that... *sigh*

Why would display them if they can't be changed directly? Every Nikon and Canon camera I have handled behaves thus. The 77D seems to as well. It doesn't display the drive mode or white balance in the top panel or in the OVF display, and lo and behold! It seems you can't directly change them, either. Not surprising.

I don't believe changing white balance is a very useful action on the 77D since it doesn't have manual Kelvin adjustment. Just AWB and few presets, like rebels not 60D series. AWB is great on these cameras though.

Drive mode, well, sorry they left it out. If you don't mind using the LCD changing ANY setting using the Q menu is lightening fast, its really that menu that makes Canon stand out (you have to look at the LCD of course). So get used to change the key adjustment with the top panel and dedicated buttons and press the Q menu for the non-included ones.

Leaving the camera ON the Q menu at low brightness takes almost NO power. It can stay on it for days. It's liveview & video recording, and taking photos (with AF) that impact battery level directly.

The Top LCDs are more designed for quick checking and altering those settings rather than battery, that's a minor positive side effect that comes with it. Minor. At least on Canon DSLRs.

Bottom line: you just forget one battery in the compartment for a whole day if you're just shooting using the OVF. Carry 300 spares for a day video shoot in live view of stills with DPAF

@DPR testers,Thank you for the review. But, as a JPEG shooter myself, there is a camera feature that I would like to be tested in depth. You wrote :" The JPEG engine can still use some work, though, as it continues to show fairly rudimentary sharpening that is prone to haloing"Did you try the new "fineness" and "threshold" sharpening settings to see if they may help getting a better-looking JPEG image ?I would appreciate a dedicated test that shows the effects of these new parameters...Thank you.

I wish more Canon fans would turn their backs and force Canon to begin (key word " begin ") to listen to their customers. Fuji, Panasonic and even Sony actually change their products to better match the needs of the marketplace. The results are some of the best cameras around. Canon fans would get more out of Canon with less loyalty and more criticism. Otherwise, you'll be seeing the same lack of advancement in their next line of cameras. When you look at the innovation the competitors are providing, it's clear Canon doesn't deserve the business it's getting.

That would be nice if the innovations would work like a charm as for example dualpixel does. My Fuji shows some innovations I would gladly do without like:

- horrible performance in Lightroom- mushy green details- purple grid pattern- purple and rainbow flares + sensor reflexions- no wide angle lens with clean sun stars- aperture rings rediculously loose- AF issues in low light/low contrast/"wrong" contrast edge direction situations; even AF issues in good light- weird knob and dial operation choices like combo ISO dial, mushy for way buttons, FN buttons between the wheels where they are hard to get by- so many AF related options which need to be set right depending on the situation

My Canons might not be as hip as my Fujis however they usually do what they are supposed to do in a very easy and reliable way once you pair them with the good lenses from Canon. My Fujis can be great but sometimes they just let me down. And of course the price point is just insane.

I am uniformly satisfied with my canon gear, 7D mk Ii, 6D and 5Dmk 4. I like what canon does and I prefer their approach to product development.

Reading this and most threads related to new products reveals a mixture of very pleased, under whelmed and dissatisfied comments. This demonstrates very clearly that listening to customers means all customers and not just the fraction who seem unhappy.

those who cry "what! No second card slot!" Or no 4 k etc have other options to choose from. Surely it is unreasonable to expect every new product to meet the expectations of every customer? Their requirements will be different. I think the 77D a nice balance of specification and price. It provides a less expensive way in for new starters and a body I would be happy to use in 95% of situations. If it's not for you, that does not make it a bad camera, move on and buy something that meets your needs.

"Not only do you get greater autofocus coverage in Live View than through the viewfinder, but it's also even more accurate much the time (and you'll never need AF microadjustment in Live View, since focus is measured at the imaging plane). It even subject tracks better than Canon's through-the-viewfinder iTR tracking by a wide margin - see more on our Autofocus page."

I'm not going to take the extra size/weight of a mirror camera just to resort to having to use live-view to get the best AF performance :O Am I missing something?

And I know this is a personal point, other may or may not care, but when I pick up any of the new A line Sony's, excepting the new superb 99, I hate the feel. Unergonomic bricks. Especially with any kind of heavy glass. I like my sculpted handgrips and bodies with the buttons, all laid out. Not detracting from the features and IQ, obviously, they are very good. Did not like the Nikon 1 for the same reason.

If you're serious about this minute differences in AF performance (D77's Phase vs DPAF) then this is not your camera at all. Steer clear.

For the target market however, this is a VERY compelling as it gives us the optical viewfinder, as well as the ability to flick into "mirrorless mode" with class leading AF system.

A Sony mirrorless has it's upsides, but this one has its ones too: A Sony mirrorless doesn't have a "DSLR mode" that opens up an offline optical VF that gets a thousand shots with one 40-60 minute charge. Doesn't have the ability to shoot video with a large sensor aesthetic without manual focus pulling. Doesn't have the immensely faster controls/buttons, let along a touch interface on an LCD that swivles. If these are all of no importance to the buyers (they'll carry a spare battery, don't like to use an OVF, can pull focus manually, can get around the UI and no touchscreen) then there's still that Canon EF-S lens line up that simply has no rivals. You can get your d77 a super sharp 10-18mm IS lens for 250 bucks for God's sake. Something that makes the Canon an actually better system for any landscape shooter unless they're on a whole different price bracket. There are other small yet important things too like simply being better to hold for many, has SOOC globally admired Jpegs to instantly share... etc

It's not the point where the mirrorless competitor is "better" than Canons DSLR in ALL aspects. They still need to get a lot of things right.

If I list the A6300 upsides it'd take an even bigger post than this ridiciulously large post. So it's still a two way competetion going on there in features/benefits (not sales) :)

Sorry but you said (twice)that this Canon has an advantage over a Sony mirrorless as it gives a 'large sensor aesthetic' without the disadvantages of manual focus pulling. You are stating that you have to manually focus when shooting video on a Sony mirrorless camera, which is not the case.

If you think the AF on Sony cameras is not good enough that's up to you but is an entirely different thing from what you claimed.

It's not my statement. It's the entire film/video industry's statement. The only reliable AF system for motion is Canon DPAF cameras. (C300II/C700/1DXII/7DII/5DIV/80D/70D, now 77D/800D/M5/M6)

Sony's are just no match at this one specific area, it cannot be used on any mildly serious shot as it does go hunting quite often. It's good, but when you're doing video, you want 100% reliability as 70-80% is unusable، it risks losing the entire scene and reshoot, if it's possible that is!

Canon is the only company in history that completely automated large sensor focus pulling in-camera, with the very recent Dual Pixel AF technology.

I am sure Sonys will get this right too soon, they're on fire and they are brilliant.

Video Autofocus while new and still not accepted in principle by most high end cinematographers, is the future. Just as they bashed image stabilization and said it's robotic/videoish and now when it came to a point when all the quirks were ironed out, it's the standard and cinema glass sorely miss it unless on an in-body IBIS camera. It's admitted now they which cinema glass from Cooke, zeiss ultr primes has OIS and smooth AF. Technology is awesome. Canon pushed the AF one onto the video world in a time when people laugh at it، untill the touch a subject on the LCD and watch what magically happens!

And all the Moms out there buy more Camera's than all the commenters on this site combined. Silly Canon targeting a broad range of customers, focus on the niche ones and go slowly bankrupt like everyone else.

Pointless now, US Federal agencies must now buy American, hire American. Since Canon is a foreign product, no US agency should even consider this. I hope Trump expands this to declare that all companies or state /local agencies currently accepting Federal support, must comply else risk loosing their funding/exemptions. Trump Corp and their affiliates are of course exempt. America First! DPR should stick to review American made cameras and lenses.

They put their very best APS-C sensor in a mid level enthusiast camera for $900.

It's an excellent sensor, with base ISO DR the same as full frame sensors from a few years ago, such as the Nikon D4.

But because it's not the very best APS-C sensor available, that's now a "Con".

And to squeeze it into this category, you introduce the role of peers; citing D7200 and A6300.

D7200, a camera introduced for $300 more.

A6300, also introduced at slightly higher price ($1000) but a now a mirrorless camera?

Why not Sony's most recent APS-C DSLR, the A68. Which has almost identical sensor performance to the Canon (Canon fractions better but negligible)?

Say we accept a mirrorless 'peer', so what about the Fujifilm X-T2 for $1600 or the cheaper X-T20. These have near identical sensor performance to the Canon (fractions). Yet for those, sensor DR is not a "Con".

I get that you like to rib Canon a bit, but is the DR of this camera really a "Con"?

The 77D doesn't directly compare with anyone else's product range, D5600 is cheaper, D7200/D7500 is more expensive, for example. It's a similar case with a6000 and a6300. And, except for very specific niches, we consider ILCs as a single category, regardless of whether they have mirrors. This means mirrorless cameras are expected to live up to the standards of DSLRs and vice versa.

But the Pros and Cons are lists of factors that the would-be buyer might want to consider. It's not a checklist where one Pro cancels out each Con: it's up to each reader to decide whether each factor matters to them or not.

Canon's latest chips have less downstream read noise than the older ones, which means they have better dynamic range. However, it is visually (as well as measurably) still behind the chips used in just about everyone else's cameras. Its much less of a problem than it was, but it's not so small that we're going to pretend it's not there.

I think it's fair to call a stop's difference in DR a visible as well as measurable difference.

Beyond base ISO you give up 1EV of DR for every stop of amplification that's been applied. Most people think of this, plus the additional stop of shot noise from reduced exposure, as noise performance. About which we've made no criticism.

I'm just thinking back to when I purchased many of my cameras using DPR as a guide, and before I got deeply into the technical nitty gritty.

The Cons were the warning signs, I had to assess their potential impact; slow or low accuracy AF, long shot to shot delays, features locked while buffer clears, poor auto WB in mixed lighting, etc, etc.

I don't really see the difference between excellent and outstanding as a Con, and I'm not sure if the Me of yesteryear would have known how to go about assessing for myself if this "Con" would be something to be concerned about or not. Without some kind of 'acceptability benchmark' to relate it to, it may well have put me off the camera unnecessarily.

It seems inconsistent in that I don't see the same approach used in other metrics. If AF performance is excellent, it's usually a Pro. Within the excellents, one will be best, class leading. But I don't recall seeing only excellent AF, not class leading, listed as a "Con" anywhere.

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